Major Taliban Leader Killed

A senior Taliban commander and two other insurgents were killed in a firefight with Nato-Afghan forces in western Afghanistan, the military alliance said today.

Another Taliban leader, Ajmal Agha Jan, also was killed on Saturday in southern Helmand province’s Marjah district after he pulled a pistol on a joint force that raided his compound, Nato said in a statement.

An Afghan-Nato unit moved in after intelligence sources tracked the first commander, identified as Mullah Jamaluddin, as he travelled in western Badghis province’s Murghab district on Saturday.

A gunbattle erupted and the Taliban leader and two militants were killed, Nato said.